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Arv'macah (species)
The Arv'macah is a species of large venomous spiders found in the tropical forests of the Free Lands. They are known for the shape of their carcapiece which resembles a human skull. Etymology The scientific name H. kranionus roots from the Greek word κρανίον (kranion), first given by famed explorer and scientist Amedes in 2012. The native Tof called them the Arv'macah, meaning 'crawling death'. Appearance The Arv'macah are large predatory spiders with an average size of a human skull excluding its eight long legs, which can grow nearly a foot in length each. The most significant visible feature of the Arv'macah is its carcapiece which resembles a human skull While the carcapiece is almost always white, the rest of the spider's exoskeleton can vary in color and pattern. Distribution and habitat The Arv'macah live throughout the Free Lands primarily in dense tropical forests or where there is thick foliage. There is no forest in the Free Lands where none are present excluding those found on Karishma as the continent proved extremely difficult to support their large needs Evolution Fangs The Arv'macah have large fangs that oppose each other and cross in a pinching action allowing for stronger bites and stronger grip. the fangs constantly secrete a powerful venom that paralyzes its prey and quickly converts the the innards into a rotten, soupy slop which it drinks Once they've taken a bite, it is nearly impossible to remove it by force without tearing the flesh. Eyes The Arv'macah are fearsome night predators, having excellent vision even in the pitch black nights of the Tropics. However the spider is very sensitive to light and a sudden change may disorient it Sensitivity As the Arv'macah is virtually blind in the morning, the spider relies on its highly developed senses, being able to detect the heat and movement of even a tiny fly Venom The venom released contains several toxins which is almost immediately fatal to the average human. Many do not live longer than a minute of being bitten. The venom contains several variations of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins, which cause the rapid decay of the flesh surrounding the bite wound. Once the exotoxins find a blood vessel it will quickly spread throughout the body causing the rapid decay of the the entire body within a minute of the initial bite. Psychological Effects In addition to the rapid decay of flesh, it releases several neurotoxins including but not limited to Tetrodotoxin and Anatoxin-a which severely inhibit axons in the peripheral nervous system, eventually spreading to the central nervous system. The toxins inhibit motor functions preventing the prey from moving or speaking. it also causes severe hallucinations and extreme fevers. Most are dead within the minute Intelligence The Arv'macah are surprisingly intelligent, being the only species of arachnids capable of counting and facial recognition of humans. They are believed to be capable of holding grudges. Camouflage and Trapping Thanks to the Tof Civil War, skulls can be found throughout the region. as a result the Arv'macah have no difficulty posing as one of the many skulls that litter the forests and trapping and killing their prey often as large as dear. The can spin an extremely strong web capable of inhibiting movement of even humans. The threads are notably thin enough to be difficult to see outside of nested areas where they are spun thicker and more difficult to escape from Parasitic Lifecycle unlike most spider species who lay eggs on the mother's back or in web nesting, the Arv'macah are parasitic, laying clusters of their eggs in fruits and other vegetation for animals to eat Once consumed, they will latch into the walls of the smaller intestine where they will hatch and feed on passing nutrients. When reaching a certain age where they begin growing their carcapiece, they being to rapidly tear at the host, killing them from the inside out, bursting out of the gut, killing the host in the process. See also *Tofu Category:Fauna